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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27287626">The Ace Radio Operator</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rihnoswirl/pseuds/Rihnoswirl'>Rihnoswirl</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Girls und Panzer</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/F</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-10-30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-10-30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 17:34:18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,511</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27287626</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rihnoswirl/pseuds/Rihnoswirl</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Saori is freaking out. She's in college, it's christmas, and everyone seems to have a date except her. She sits down with some friends to talk about her troubles, and maybe realize something about herself</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>10</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>The Ace Radio Operator</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“UUUGH! This suuuucks!!!”</p><p>Saori didn’t even bother to hide her dismay at this point, as she lay sprawled over the table.</p><p>“Yeah, we know. You’ve kinda been complaining about it ever since we sat down,” Alisa replied and took another swig of her beer.</p><p>“But it’s just not fair! Why does everyone get to have a fulfilling relationship on Christmas except me?!”</p><p>“Gee, thanks…” </p><p>“Oh, right… um… sorry about that…”</p><p>Alisa sighed. “Nah, it’s fine. I’m over him anyways. At least, that’s what I tell myself.” She looked down at the table with sad eyes, before her gaze shot back to meet Saori’s. “But if I have to hear you complain one more time about how ‘unfair’ your life is, I’m moving out of the apartment, and you can find someone else to cover the rent, Miss All-the-boys-fawn-over-me-and-still-I’m-not-happy.”</p><p>“Maybe you’re just gay?” Mako noted without looking away from the window. “It would explain why you can’t seem to get excited for any of the guys.”</p><p>“Mako! Don’t joke about that! I’m not gay!” Saori yelled and sat back up in her seat. She took a sip of her drink before she continued. “I’m pretty sure I would know. I know Hana and Naomi are really happy together, and Yukari and Riko are adorable when you can understand what they’re saying, but I don’t swing that way, OK?”</p><p>“If you say so…”</p><p>“You don’t believe me, do you? Are you still angry about that time in third grade?”</p><p>“What time in third grade? Please, remind me.” Mako glanced over to Saori, and grinned.</p><p>“Why you…” Saori was about to make a scene, but calmed herself. “You know what I’m talking about, and I don’t know how many more times I can apologize for it.”</p><p>“What are we apologizing for?” Klara asked as she sat down, having just returned from the bar with her White Russian.</p><p>“There was this one time, back when we were in the third grade and our class set up a play. Saori and I…”</p><p>“If you finish that story I’ll kill you,” Saori glared with murderous intent at her childhood friend, who laughed at her embarrassment, before returning her attention to the winter night outside.</p><p>“You didn’t miss much Klara,” Alisa interceded. “Miss popular here is <em> still </em> complaining about not having the hots for anyone, despite having been confessed to by half the department.”</p><p>“It’s not like that, OK?” Saori tried to defend herself, but soon just looked down at her drink again. “It’s just… I always thought it was gonna be so easy… All the time when I was growing up, all I saw was couples, and people dating, and getting married. And I thought it was gonna be so easy. I thought you just waited for someone to ask you out, and then everything would just kinda… I don’t know… sort itself out?”</p><p>“It’s not so easy in the real world, is it?” Klara smiled as she answered, but not from malice. It was a sympathetic smile to be sure.</p><p>“It’s not! Finally someone who understands!”</p><p>“For the record, I <em> did </em> give you understanding until everyone in our class and the two under us seemingly decided to confess to you. Including you-know-who.” Alisa did not smile.</p><p>“I said I’m sorry. How can you blame me for the fact that <em> he </em> asked me out? I told him no, didn’t I?”</p><p>“Sure… whatever.” Alisa emptied her bottle, and slammed it down on the table. “Well, I’m going up to the dance floor. I’m sure as hell not gonna get anyone to warm my bed by sitting here and listening to you complain. You coming Mako?”</p><p>“Nah, I’m gonna head home.”</p><p>“Already? But it’s still early!” Saori cried out.</p><p>“It’s two in the morning, Saori. On Christmas. If you don’t have a date by now, it’s not gonna happen. I’m going home.”</p><p>“Ok, see you in the morning. I’ll make pancakes!” Klara chimed after her black-haired room-mate as she left. A disinterested nod was the only reply.</p>
<hr/><p>Once Alisa and Mako had left, Saori and Klara were alone at the table. They were almost alone in the bar too. As Mako had said, after two there wasn’t really much of a point to being there. Except for the drinks, that is, which did at least help Saori’s mood a little.</p><p>“Ok, so the guys don’t do anything for you. Ever experimented with…”</p><p>“No, we already went over that. I’ve never met anyone I’m attracted to, guy or gal.”</p><p>“Huh, Interesting.”</p><p>“Don’t. Don’t do that.”</p><p>“Don’t do what?”</p><p>“That. You said ‘Huh, Interesting.’ and then you got that look on your face.”</p><p>“What look?”</p><p>“That look! The one you’re showing right now. The one that you get when everything just turns into an exam question for you.”</p><p>“Oh, sorry. I didn’t know it was that obvious.”</p><p>“What about you then? How did you and Nonna first get together? What did it feel like?”</p><p>“Oh, we’re not dating.”</p><p>“You broke up?! I’m so sorry, I didn't mean to…”</p><p>“No, I mean, we never dated.”</p><p>“So then… you and Katyusha… huh, I always thought she was more into Nonna…”</p><p>“I never dated Katyusha either. But you’re right about her and Nonna. They’re… uhm… let’s just say they’re very close.”</p><p>“So then you’ve got a boyfriend? What’s his name? Is he Russian too?”</p><p>“No. No I do not.”</p><p>“You’re single? I would have thought a girl like you would be taken before she stepped out of middle school.”</p><p>Klara laughed at the suggestion, before putting a hand on Saori’s. “Many have tried to win my affections, yes. But I never seem to feel anything. I’m like you.”</p><p>“Eh?” Saori blushed and pulled her hand back. “Klara, I’m really sorry, but… I mean… you’re really pretty, but… what I mean to say is… uhm…”</p><p>“I don’t mean like that.” She rolled her eyes and took another sip of her drink. “I’m saying I’m asexual.”</p><p>“Oh…” Saori had a look on her face that revealed that she didn’t fully understand. “I… I see…”</p><p>“So yeah, you and I are the same.”</p><p>“But… but… but we’re not the same! I’m not asexual! I’m straight! I know I am! I’ve been waiting for a boy to come sweep me off my feet all my life, and now…”</p><p>“And now you have a smorgasbord of options, and none suit your tastes. Calm down, it’s no big deal.” Klara sighed, and put her half-finished drink down on the table. “Look, I’m not saying you’re definitely ace. Maybe you just haven’t found the right person yet. Maybe they’ll walk through that door in the next minute. All I’m saying is that I think you’ve hung up your entire personality and sense of self on the idea of finding someone and marrying them. Now you’re here, you’re in college, boys and girls alike think you’re both pretty and nice, and for some reason, you can’t seem to muster up enthusiasm for any of them.” </p><p>She leaned back in her chair, and gave Saori a knowing look. “So maybe, just maybe, you’re having a hard time accepting the idea that maybe you’re not interested in <em> anyone </em>. Because if you’re not interested, you won’t date anyone. If you won’t date, you won’t marry. And if you won’t marry anyone, who are you even? Who is Saori Takebe behind the incessant talk about dating and marriage?”</p><p>Silence fell over the table, as Saori pondered Klara’s observation, and Klara let her work it through at her own pace. After a few minutes, Saori looked up with tears in her eyes.</p><p>“That… that wasn’t fair. You know that right? It wasn’t fair of you to use what you learned in class against me.”</p><p>“Perhaps it wasn’t. But that’s what we psychology students do. We apply things to our friends.”</p><p>“Still… It still wasn’t fair…” Saori grabbed her drink and finished it, seemingly in an attempt to calm herself. “But… I… I don’t know, OK? I don’t know the answer to that. I was really annoyed and irritated just now, and thanks to you I’m freaking out instead! If I don’t know who I am, how will I… and who will… and how…”</p><p>“Shh… It’s fine…” Klara hugged her friend, and brushed her hair with her hand. “Don’t worry about it. Don’t take my word as gospel, but maybe just go home and think about it.” She let go of the ginger girl, and bent down to look her in the eye, wiping some tears away with a thumb. “It’s hard to figure out who you are. Especially when you already thought you knew. But it’s never too late to look again.”</p><p>“You big meanie…” Saori sniffled. “Couldn’t you at least have waited until after Christmas with all of this?”</p><p>Klara chuckled a little bit to herself. “I’m sorry Saori. I really am. I didn’t mean to scare you or let you freak out.” She got up from the table, and reached a hand down to Saori. “Now come on. It’s late. I’ll pay for the cab.”</p>
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